Prophet Idris a.s.

Critical Thinking:

Was Prophet Idris (a.s) before or after Prophet Nuh (a.s) ?

There were very little information regarding Idris (a.s) in the Hadith or the Quran. These are the only evidences in the Quran or Hadith :

(1) Hadith Tirmidzi: 3,157 :
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "When I was brought up, I saw Idrīs in the Fourth Heaven."

(2) Surah Maryam ayaat 56, 57:
“And mention in the Book, Idrīs. Indeed, he was a truthful one and a Prophet, and We raised him to an exalted station”

(3) Surah Anbiyā’ ayaat 85, 86:
“And [remember] Ismael, Idrīs, and Dhul-Kifl—each of them was among the patient. We admitted them into Our mercy. Indeed, they were among the righteous.”

The rest of those elaborate stories that we hear of Prophet Idris (a.s) were from the Israelites or from Syiah or story tellers that we will not consider as concrete evidence regarding him.

The arrangement in any chart nowadays (as above) shows that Idris (a.s) came before Nuh (a.s) but it contradicts the evidences in the Quran & Hadith.

(1) [Quran 4:163] 
‘Verily, We have inspired you (O Muhammad) as We inspired Nuh and the Prophets after him’.’

(2) [Quran 57:26] 
“And We have already sent Nuh and Ibraaheem and placed in their descendants Prophethood and scripture … ”

(3) Hadith reported by al-Bukhari :
"Then, they come to Nuh and say: 'O Nuh you are the first Messenger to the Dwellers of Earth and Allah called you a thankful servant …'" .

Tafseer Ibn Katheer reads: “Allah, the Exalted, states that since He sent Nuh (a.s), all the Prophets and Messengers that He sent after that were from his offspring.”

Even contemporary scholars said that Idris (a.s) came after Nuh (a.s) as seen by the above ayaat. There is no where in the Quran or Hadith saying that Idris (a.s) was the 2nd in the line of Prophethood. Who started this type of Chart?

Further adding to this argument, we find in the Quran :
> [21:85] “And [remember] Ismael, Idrīs, and Dhul-Kifl, each of them was among the patient.
> [38:48] “Also remember Ismael, Alyasa, and Dhul-Kifl. All are among the best.” 

In the Quran, the above Prophets and Messengers were grouped together. Idris (a.s) was not grouped together with Adam (a.s) and Nuh (a.s).
Both ayaat above began with mentioning Ismael (a.s) first. It looked like Ismael (a.s) came before the others in both of these ayaat. This further adds to the assumption that Idris (a.s) did not come right after Adam (a.s).

According to the Chart above, the 25 Prophets mentioned in the Quran consists of:
(1) Adam (a.s)  = a Prophet and a partial “Messenger” that came with a Sharia (Law) for his family of Believers. He was not sent to a disbelieving nation.
(2) Idris a.s = Supposedly in the Chart to come before Nuh (a.s)
(3) 23 Messengers were sent to Disbelieving Nations starting with Nuh (a.s).

lf Idris (a.s) came before Nuh (a.s), then he was only a Prophet and cannot be a Messenger since Nuh (a.s) was the first Messenger sent to a Disbelieving nation.

Why was Idris (a.s) the odd one out of the 25 names mentioned in the Quran for being just a Prophet? Why his name is mentioned in the Quran if he is only a Prophet? Even Prophet Khidir’s name was not mentioned in the Quran.
He must be a Messenger too like the rest of the names mentioned. Hence it is more logical that Prophet Idris (a.s) must have come after Nuh a.s. They were all Prophets and Messengers. Even the unauthenticated stories of Idris (a.s) said that Idris (a.s) was a Messenger sent to a Disbelieving Nation but was mistaken that he came before Nuh (a.s).

Shaikh Ibn ul-‘Uthaymeen said:
What has been mentioned that Idris was the great grandfather of Nuh is a lie for Idris is not before Nuh. Rather Idris came after him. What is apparent, and Allah knows best, is that he was from Bani Israeel. Whoever claims that Idris was the great grandfather of Nuh or came before him or that Sheeth, or the likes, came before Nuh, then he has erred, and lied, and has opposed the Qur’an and the Sunnah.

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Here we display the stories about Idris (a.s) having no evidence for the Quran and Sunnah while contradictory. It is more of stories coming from a Story Teller. It state a few facts but surrounds them with detailed made  up stories. A person with a critical mind will be asking where do these details come from since they were from the unseen. Who documented the life of Idris (a.s) when he lived thousands of years ago right after Adam (a.s) as they claim?

----This is the alleged story most likely is FAKE-----

Idris (a.s) was born and raised in Babylon following the teachings and religion of Prophet Adam (pbuh) and his son Seth (pbuh). Idris was the 5th generation of the Prophet Adam. 

According to a very very weak hadith allegedly narrated by  Abu-Dharr, it is said that 30 books were revealed to Idris (as) and other traditions state that he was the first person who had initiated writing with a pen. So writing before Idris (as) didn’t exist until Allah (swt) taught him how to write and he is the one who taught people how to write. 

Allah (swt) awarded Idris (as) with skill in various fields of science, such as mathematics and astronomy. Prophet Idris (a.s) also known to be an expert in making the tools of human needs. He knew all the languages on earth. It is narrated from Wahab (a Story Teller) that Idris was a well-built man with a broad chest. He had less hair on his body and more on his head. His one ear is bigger than the other. He had scanty hair on his chest and spoke in a low voice.

While walking his feet used to come close to one another. He is known as Idris because he used to teach about the magnanimity of Allah (swt) and the excellence of Islam. When Idris (as) came after Sheeth (as), he was a Prophet and a Messenger and their leader and He ruled by Allah's law and he changed some of the Shareeah of Sheeth (as). And one of the things that Idris (a.s) came up with at that time was ‘Jihad’.

The first Prophet and Messenger to call for Jihad (fighting in the path of Allah (swt)) was Idris (as). When he saw the corruption spreading, especially among the people of Cain (Qabil), and that corruption is spreading even within the people of Idris. So Idris (a.s) declared a war against corruption and against the corrupt people. He prepared an army of Horseman and people walking and fighting against the people of Cain (Qabil).  Allah (swt) gave victory to Idris (a.s).

Allah revealed to Idris one day, the rewards of all the good deeds of mankind every single day over his own deeds, own rewards and good deeds of Idris (a.s). Allah (swt) also gives him the rewards of all the people living at the time of Idris (as). So he thanked Allah (swt) and he realized that the only way to increase more rewards is to live for longer. One of the Angels was a good friend of Idris (a.s) and a companion to him. So Idris told this Angel that “Allah (swt) revealed to me that every single day I get all the good rewards and the deeds of all the people on the surface of this earth without my own rewards, at the top of my own good deeds.

Is there any chance that you could talk to the Angel of Death and ask him to delay my life and for me to live even longer?”. So the Angel said:”we will see.”  Idris (as) went on the back of this Angel and flew with him all the way to the heavens. They met with the Angel of Death on the fourth heaven.  

(How did the Story Teller know the dialog between Idris and the Angel and between this Angel and the Angel of Death ??) 

So this Angel told the Angel of Death that “Idris is asking that if you could make him live longer?"
“So the Angel of Death said, “And where is Idris?"
“He said, “He is on my back.”
So the Angel of Death said, “Amazing”
Angel asked, “What’s Amazing?”
Angel of Death said, “Allah (swt) ordered me to take the soul of Idris in the fourth heaven and I wondered how I am going to do this. I was amazed. SubhanAllah, Allah (swt) made it happen.”
Idris (as) came with one intention, Angel of Death came with another and Allah (swt) only happens what He wills. Idris (as) passed away and His (as) soul was taken in the fourth Heaven.
The only Prophet who died in fourth heaven.
Following the death of Prophet Idris, corruption began to increase rapidly again. Several generations later, with no Prophetic guidance, Satan finally managed to influence the children of Adam to commit their first act of shirk (polytheism). 

Corruption was increasing until Idris (as) destroyed a great portion of it. After the death of Idris (as) corruption started to increase even more and more but people still believe in One Lord, Allah (swt). They don’t believe in any Idols, any son or any moon. But you see a lot of people that are Muslims, they believe in Allah (swt) but they fell in Haram. That’s how the situation was of back then. Especially after the death of Idris (as), people stayed on Tawheed, on Monotheism, and the oneness of Allah (swt) for 1000 years.

(How did the story teller know all the names??)

Then after that 1000 year a change started to take place. It became a big gap between the Idris (as) and the next Prophet being sent. The next Prophet was Nuh (as). Idris’s (as) father was Yarid and His mother was Barkanah. His wife was Aadanah. Idris (as) also had a son named Methuselah; who would eventually be the grandfather of Prophet Nuh (as). That means Idris (as) was the great-grandfather of Nuh (a.s).

In that big gap between Idris and Nuh (as), few centuries passed with no Prophet nor  Messenger. But these Prophets and Messengers had followers and out of the followers there was always the best of followers. When the Prophet went, the people start to look to these respected followers. After the death of Idris (a.s), there were the followers of Idris (as), very righteous, very God fearing, very obedient to Allah (swt) and the people used to respect them. At the time of Idris (a.s), people used to go to him with their problems, but after Idris (as) passed away, they used to go to these followers with their problems.

After the death of the righteous people what happened?
There were not many followers of those righteous people. So Shaitan played his game. People were believing in Allah (swt). So at the time of Prophet Idris (a.s), people would go to Idris (a.s). After that people would go to his righteous followers. But now righteous followers were gone. Who do they go back to? So Iblis started to play a game with the minds of the weak people.

Shaitan came when righteous followers started to die one by one. Shaitan said to them, “You know what a wonderful person he was!” So Shaitan came and grieved. Now you got to look Shaitan and his tactics here. Shaitan came along and he grieved with them. He said, “Man….. that person, that died, don’t you feel, oh what a wonderful person he was.” 

So Shaitan is there and he is actually grieving over this soul that has passed away. So they started to know this person (shaitaan), this wonderful person who is grieving over this good soul. Then what happens is that the next generation dies, the same Shaitan comes along and he says, “Man another soul, we have just lost another soul, a good soul on this earth. How much corruption is there on earth.” And whenever a good soul goes like this and so on, and he is making people feel like, “wow, he is a good preacher.” 

The next time it happens again, he said, “you know what, we should do guys…. We should have a remembrance of this person. So how are we going to have a remembrance of this person, If we don’t quickly make something that reminds of this person than we will forget this good soul and his teachings, so quick. ” 

What they do in early days? You saw that early drawings? On the walls, and caves and so on of deers and lions and whatever else, it was of their nature, right? So what Shaitaan told them to do is to make a certain drawings of this individual. 

He said,” Look, we need to do this, we need to remember good people like this and honor them, we need to do this.” So they go ahead and they did this.

So next generation came, and now he has got a drawing there. He has got a few drawings that are coming up of these pious people that has passed away.

Next generation he said to them,” Hey listen young boys, you know, you are going to die soon, right? You are going to die, you know, you need to respect your elders, respect them, and how you respect to them is to see those carvings there and pay them your respect. So it’s like you look up to them and show them that you like them.” so they did.

When the next generation came, he said:” You are the grandchildren of these figures that went. Oh what great grandfather you had, you know these pictures, what you should do, you should take them and we should honor more. Respect them by carving out certain, stones out of their shape of these heads.” So they did that, because it was a respect.

Next generation came, Shaitan said,” Just bow your head down, that’s all you do. Just bow your head down.” so they did that.

Next generation came, He said,” These… Are the things that gives you life, bread and everything you have got, don’t you realize that? Didn’t you see your fathers who do that (bowing the heads)? Well you should got on to the floor and do Sujood to that things.” So they did that.

Next generation He has got them fooled, he tells them,” Look….. They are Gods.”

What a mentality of these people is that they have started to believe in something that does not exist. They started to give these statues, stones, and dead people certain beliefs that don’t belong to them.

So they started to say that,”That is the one that gives us rain, that is the one that gives us children, and that is the one that gives us this and that.”

So they started to make these beliefs. So in the end Allah (swt) sent Nuh (a.s). What Nuh (a.s) was dealing with? He was dealing with a very very stubborn people.

 (WHERE DO THE STORY TELLER GET THESE FROM ?)

The Wise Sayings of Prophet Idris (a.s): 

“Happy is he who looks at his own deeds and appoints them as pleaders to his Lord.”
“None can show better gratitude for Allah’s favors than he who shares them with others.”
“Do not envy people for what they have as they will only enjoy it for a short while.”
“He who indulges in excess will not benefit from it.”
“The real joy of life is to have wisdom.”

(No evidence whatsoever on where the Story Teller get this story from)